With a Master of Science in Dietetics and Exercise Science, 11 years of experience in fitness, and 5 years in nutrition, Hollee Mohni is a professional dedicated to improving individuals' health and confidence through sustainable habits.
Every person has two choices – to take care of their health while maintaining wellness or wait until their health hits rock bottom, then tweak their lifestyles to slow the repercussions. Of course, ignoring health until it blares the alarm isn’t an intelligent approach. However, being proactive can bring quite positive outcomes over time.
Gone are the times when people had ample time on their hands. These days most people are looking for ways to maximize any possible spare time. Juggling between tasks and an intense commitment to various things like family, work, school, etc keeps people from following a healthy lifestyle. Sticking to a workout plan is out of the window for most.
Thanks to micro workouts, you can now stay active and follow healthy habits, no matter how jam-packed your schedule gets. This article details all you need to know about these tiny workout chunks, followed by some ways they can benefit you.
Let’s get to it!
As the name suggests, micro workouts are short bursts of exercise that can be performed anywhere, at any time, and in a limited space. People can perform micro workouts throughout the day, gradually increasing the frequency, where each session lasts between 5 – 10 minutes.
Assuming that a single micro workout session can be an alternative to a conventional workout routine would be wrong. Instead, you can follow several of these sessions to supplement a regular training session. You can target specific muscle groups or cardio activities in each session. In this way, you can eventually strengthen the parts of your body where you feel you lack energy the most.
The goal is to maximize your activity throughout the day by fitting in small chunks of exercise. When you follow this routine religiously, you should feel more energized throughout the day (4).
The rules for exercise nowadays suggest performing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workouts every week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (6). or you can do a bit of both. But sometimes, you might need more time for a complete workout. That is where quick little exercises throughout the day can help, even if you are busy.
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Citing the lack of time, most people omit working out altogether. If you are in the same boat, you should definitely give micro workouts a shot. The secret behind the effectiveness of these exercise chunks is interval training. This results in loads of benefits that you can witness over time.
Some perks you may experience are:
You might be thinking about how you can adjust 3 sessions of 10-minute workouts in your routines. Let’s not forget that they consume only 10 minutes of your time. That would make 30 minutes of physical activity spread throughout the day. You can perform these at your workplace or home without using equipment.
Research has proven that you can improve your metabolism with just 2 minutes of physical activity (3). Sound too good to be true?
Being sedentary for most of the day means some vital bodily functions will slow down. These short bouts of exercise can boost your metabolism, which can help you to burn more calories (1). The benefits of micro workouts for weight loss are often quoted because these are intense and take around 10 minutes to perform.
Research suggests a quick workout can help your body burn fat faster, by up to 43% (4). The trick is to pick exercises that make your heart beat faster, but only do them for a minute or less.
A carefully curated micro workout plan helps busy individuals to keep their fitness up to the required levels. Given that they can be performed whenever and however, you have ample of options. You can do these in the kitchen, the lawn area, the office cabin, or even the car while waiting for someone.
A study by Queen’s University School of Kinesiology and Health Studies discovered that even when people were overweight and didn’t exercise formally, they still gained health benefits by doing short bursts of physical activity during their everyday tasks (2).
Some people may assume that micro workouts don’t help. These could be individuals who still want to follow the traditional exercise plans or those who haven’t witnessed any outcomes after following a micro workout plan. It is essential to understand that the benefits of micro workouts, like many other exercise plans, could be experienced over time.
Let’s take the example of a study by Martin Gibala, the Ph.D. Professor at McMaster University in Ontario (5). He performed a study where inactive young adults did short bursts of fast biking, called “sprint snacks,” for 20 seconds. They did this three times daily, with one to four hours between breaks. After six weeks, their fitness improved by 9%. Another group did longer biking sessions for 10 minutes, raising their fitness level by 13%.
An increased heart rate during micro workouts can improve insulin sensitivity, increase fat burn and muscle mass, and activate muscle fibers (7). These factors can contribute to the reduction of chronic illnesses.
To sum up, micro workouts are a convenient way to stay active. The benefits of micro workouts for men may differ from micro workouts for women, based on individual factors like body composition, fitness level, and hormonal differences. This is to say, specific fitness goals should be examined before creating a micro workout schedule for yourself.
Read more: Can Micro Workouts Build Muscle? How Mini Exercises Can Change Your Body
Some kinds of micro workouts are considered better due to their efficiency. The following are some kinds of micro workouts with the most perks:
These involve short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief resting periods.
If you are looking for micro workouts to build muscles, your plan should include lunges, push-ups, squats, and planks.
This category of micro workouts involves performing a series of exercises in quick succession with no breaks.
This includes stretching and mobility exercises that help with posture and flexibility.
The choice of micro workouts depends on individual factors. You can create a routine according to the time and space you have. For instance, if you can access dumbbells, you can design a resistance training circuit that delivers good outcomes when performed consistently.
Of course!
We have all heard – “something is better than nothing!”
Performing micro workouts can bring some unexpected outcomes our way. The key is to be consistent and have a plan. If the goal is to improve muscular strength, you should look for micro workouts to build muscle. But to shed some calories, you should learn and practice micro workouts for weight loss.
These exercise snacks can help break the sedentary period for people with desk jobs. Even those who don’t have the energy to hit the gym find micro workouts to be quite convenient. You can incorporate these tiny sessions into your routine in the following ways:
Don’t let the desire for perfection take a hit at your good habits. Doing any activity is better than doing none at all. You can check out different exercises like barre workouts or calisthenic workouts. Study the benefits of barre workouts and calisthenic workouts. Then, decide on a micro workout plan for yourself.
Also, add reminders on your calendar and set alarms that will remind you to move your body. This is how you may start feeling more healthy and energized!
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Micro workouts are a time-efficient way to add physical activity to a daily routine. These exercise snacks can help you optimize your fitness with multiple exercise formats. Taking short physical activity breaks during the day can also enhance productivity and focus.
Some mini workouts can be around 5 – 10 minutes. Meanwhile, others could extend up to 20 minutes. If you have a busy schedule, you can break up your mini-workout into even shorter sessions, such as 5 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes during lunch break, and 5 minutes in the evening.
Yes, mini workouts can bring significant results like increased calorie burn, enhanced metabolism, stress reduction, and improved strength or muscle toning. Stay regular with the workouts and incorporate the correct exercises to experience positive results.
Performing a short-duration exercise seems more accessible for most people than conducting long sessions every day. You can easily take time during lunch breaks or while waiting for the food to get heated in the oven. Initially, these exercise snacks may seem ineffective, and you may feel like they aren’t rewarding. However, you may start witnessing the results as your muscles seem less sore and your flexibility and strength increases.
But, as we always say, don’t forget to check with your general physician or a fitness instructor before you begin an exercise plan. All set to break free from a sedentary lifestyle? Learn micro workouts, one step at a time!
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!